Gloomsday
by muffinly
Summary: When all of Sunnydale seems to be suffering from extreme depression, the Scooby Gang have to figure out why - while keeping those disheartening thoughts out of their own heads! Can the gang save Sunnydale from mass suicide and restore happiness?


**DISCLAIMER: I, to my utter and true and a little bit vomit-inducing dismay, do not in any way, shape, or form own any of the titles, characters, or backgrounds associated with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel, as these belong to the brilliant god we know as Joss Whedon, oh, yeah, and Mutant Enemy Productions. Grr Arrg. I do, of course, own this not-nearly-as-brilliant story, its plot, and the smiley- and frowny-face demons.**

* * *

><p><strong>SPOILER WARNINGS: Season 2's Big Bad, little relationshippy hints for some characters in season 3 if you put on some mega-magnifying-glass-glasses and squint, and some dead people that you may possibly not know are dead. You know what, just don't read this if you have yet to watch all of season two and you haven't already spoiled it all for yourself by looking things up on Wikia.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>This takes place during late season 2… Angel is Angelus, Willow doesn't yet do magic, the Scoobies know about Xander and Cordelia, Willow is dating Oz and knows he's a werewolf, and Ms. Calendar is already dead, so that's… somewhere after "Passion" and before "Becoming". I think. <strong>

**I wanted to write a fanfiction that is more general, like an actual episode of the show might play out, less shippy and less unreal... not that a television show about vampires, demons, werewolves, and witches is in any way real. I kept the characters box blank so that no one will suspect it's about one or two specific characters, when it is really about all of them. So, here it is, chapter one of my made-up episode that I punningly (Ha! Get the pun there?) entitled "Gloomsday", for reasons that will be revealed in what I will hopefully post as future chapters. I hope you like it. And don't forget to, you know, review and stuff. If you don't, I will have absolutely no choice but to derivatively track you down using a locator spell, trap you in vines, send a bullet, slow motion, into your restrained body, and then magically flay you alive. Oh, and then I'll try to destroy the world and stuff. So, yeah, I'd review if I were you.**

* * *

><p><strong>GLOOMSDAY <strong>

**by TheMuffinSlayer**

Dull gravestones silently protruded out of seemingly random spots in the ground about the small clearing in which five obscure figures could be seen. It was late at night. The grass was what could easily be identified as an emerald green, had it been daytime with the usual bright, shining sun that is high in the sky most days in Sunnydale, even those of impending apocalypse. Tall, lush trees dotted the landscape; though they looked particularly eerie in the nocturnal darkness. The scene was dim and dreary, and would probably be rather uninteresting to most that may happen upon it, had it not been for the epic battle unfolding in the vacant section of land amidst the many tombstones and shrubs.

Alexander Harris quickly crept up to a tall, humanoid figure in dark, red, velvety pants and a bright crimson shirt with intricate designs, and prepared to jump on it–possibly hoping to knock it to the ground–but was caught off-guard when the creature swiftly turned around to reveal a face that all too closely resembled the sad-looking mask that represents tragedy in drama. It grabbed Xander by the shirt collar, ripping the sleeve, and prepared to toss him fatally into a tombstone; however, a sharp cry could be heard from behind - "Xander!"

The demonic atrocity dropped Xander, and turned around to come face-to-face with a baseball bat, which promptly served its purpose by whacking the anthropomorphic stage mask in the face, causing it to stumble backwards. Behind the bat stood Willow Rosenberg, glancing at Xander, mouthing the words "are you OK?". Xander nodded.

Unfortunately, the dull, soft, wooden material of the bat, combined with Willow's not-exactly-impressive strength made for a short-lived blow. The demon stood upright, snatched the baseball bat from Willow's delicate and slightly shaking hands with unbearable speed, and hit Willow hard in the side using its immense demonic strength, literally sending her flying into a headstone. The redheaded junior slammed hard into the rock with a soft moan and slid to the ground, making Xander wince. The demon then turned to Xander.

* * *

><p>At the other end of the clearing, Buffy Summers was fending off a demon of what seemed to be similar origin. Its clothes, however, were blue, and its face more resembled the comedy mask in drama, rather than the tragedy. The monstrous being had no time to defend itself as the well-trained slayer threw punches and kicks at it, relentlessly beating the demon to a bloody pulp.<p>

"Hey, walking smiley!" Buffy punched it in the head, "How about I wipe that grin off your face?" She took out a stake, since she happened to have it handy, and stabbed the demon in the heart. It stopped struggling, and fell lifelessly to the ground. Its face, however, was still—as eerie as it sounds—smiling. "Well," Buffy sighed, "at least it's dead."

Buffy turned to where Willow was slumped against the gravestone and the frowning demon was chasing after Xander, but, when it got a glimpse of its dead acquaintance and then the teenage slayer standing over it, it quickly turned towards the woods, and fled.

Unbeknownst to the three humans, a wet tear silently escaped the disheartened demon's eye and landed on Xander's upper arm, where his shirt had been ripped. Xander felt something, wiped it off his arm, but then shrugged in a dismissing manner.

"It got away…" reported Willow, standing shakily as she used the headstone she was knocked into for support.

"So I've gathered," Buffy's disappointed expression quickly changed into a half-smile, "but, we're all okay, right? That's all that matters… you know, besides the fact that any demon we don't end up slaying could cause the next apocalypse."

Willow and Xander glanced at each other.

"I wouldn't worry about it." Buffy shrugged, "That first guy wasn't very hard. If Mr. Frowny decides to show up again, I'm sure we can take him, easy. Besides, what's a mask with arms and legs and bad fashion sense gonna do, anyways?"

Willow nodded, "Another job-well-done for the Slayerettes…" she thought for a moment, "you know, except for the 'letting the enemy get away' part."

"And the 'smashing into headstones' part." Added Xander, "Did you really think you could take him on with a baseball bat, Will?"

"Well, if Buffy can do it with her fists, I figured I could maybe whack it a few times. You know, maybe bruise him a little," She tried to stand up straight, but fell back over and winced, "and I think I hurt my leg."

"I guess this is why we're the sidekicks." Xander walked over to Willow and helped her stand. She looked up at him in silent gratitude and leaned awkwardly against his chest.

"That's enough slayage for the day," Buffy thought about this, "or, uh, night. All of the vampires seem to be hiding. Maybe in their crypts—brooding or something."

"Like Angel?" asked Willow, then Buffy shot her a look, "sorry…"

"It's okay." Buffy sighed, and the mood darkened considerably—more to that of what you would normally expect from a graveyard, "let's just… I'm going home."

"No Bronze?" asked Xander.

"Nah," Buffy breathed, "I'm not in the Bronzing mood."

"Ok, I'll just take Willow home, then..."

"See you tomorrow, Buffy," Willow offered a small smile.

"Let's just go, guys." Buffy turned to leave the cemetery.

Willow and Xander sent each other grave looks. The latter helped to former walk on her injured ankle, and the three Scoobies silently exited the clearing.

* * *

><p>Behind a tree, just outside the same clearing, but on the opposite exterior, the frowning demon stood. It laughed the most insane, indescribable, obnoxiously evil laugh ever laughed, and – the worst part was – it was still frowning.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>So, there's chapter one. I already have more written, but I'm thinking about changing like... everything, so, yeah. I sort of lost my motivation to go on, though, and I don't know why, so I need a little encouragement *cough*lotsareviews*cough*. Oh, and, trust me, I gave it a really interesting plot and the demons have a whole history and background to them, so, if I end up posting more, you should stay tuned~ c:<strong>


End file.
